NCP Marina Mandalina’s Adriatic Boat Show In Šibenik

As luck would have it, just as we finished our last posting on the subject of autumn boat shows in Croatia, NCP Marina Mandalina sent us some photos and a press release about their Adriatic Boat Show which took place in September.

Thanks to them for the photos and information – edited extracts below.

The Adriatic Boat Show 2009 [ABS] organized by Nautical Center Prgin, took place from 17^th to 21^st of September in Mandalina Marina. ABS actively promotes Croatian boatbuilding and the megayacht sector in Croatian nautical tourism and includes all types of new and used vessels – from small boats to mega-yachts – offering every sailor something according to his needs and interests.

The Show was visited by numerous lovers of nautical business, boats and the sea. Visitors took advantage of the opportunity to see 150 boats in the sea and 30 on dry docks, as well as a rich offer of various nautical equipment, outboard and inboard engines, sport and fishing equipment as well as clothing and diving equipment. As well as Croatian boat builders, also represented were the major world’s producers of vessels with brands Fairline, Princess, Sunseeker, Elan, Grand Soleil, Beneteau, Jeanneau, X-Yachts etc.

There was an excellent atmosphere throughout all five days of the boat show helped by those in front of and behind the stands. Despite a challenging business climate there were 12 percent more exhibitors than last year. Participants expressed appreciation for the event because of the number and diversity of vessels and equipment, the appearance of the overall exhibition area and the friendly attitude of the organisors towards exhibitors, journalists and visitors alike.

The key was the presence of Croatian nautical companies and the fact that the Croatian market continues to expand. There was high number of quality vessels offered by members of an established and reputable Croatian boatbuilding industry. Through the congress programme of ABS, Croatian boat builders have sent a clear message to the Croatian government asking for the immediate reduction of extra taxation on vessels up to 7 meters in length, as well as more regulation in the mega yacht sector.

The Adriatic Boat Show also this year took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Tourism, whose representatives attended the opening ceremony, and with the support of the City and Sibenik - Knin County.

The slogan of ABS - "the sea of nautical opportunity" – covers a wide range and offers a lot, so there is no doubt that visitors and exhibitors are already looking forward towards an even larger boat show – the 3^rd Adriatic Boat Show – in 2010.

FACTS:

EXHIBITION AREA – 160.000 m2 – Marina Mandalina & Yacht Club

EXHIBITORS – 170

VESSELS – 180

VISITORS – 22.000

ABOUT NAUTICAL CENTER PRGIN

NCP Group gathers 10 different companies specialising in the nautical industry and is considered one of the leaders in the Mediterranean marine industry. Founded in 1995 as a yacht charter company, today, NCP has the most exclusive charter fleet in the region. NCP developed Mandalina Marina, which is the first mega yacht destination in Croatia, and NCP Repair Shipyard, which is recognized as a respected partner in refit, repair and maintenance of yachts up to 75 m in length. Further, Marinetek NCP is a producer of high quality Marinetek pontoons offering also an overall service for developing marina projects. NCP’s most recent project is the Adriatic Boat Show – an international nautical show of new and used vessels that puts emphasis on promoting Croatia as a mega yacht destination. For more information, please visit www.ncp.hr and www.adriaticboatshow.com .

Croatia’s Autumn Boat Shows

NCP Marina Mandalina in Šibenik have already staged their Adriatic Boat Show, their second annual autumn boat show in Croatia. First to organise a boat show at this time of year was Marina Kornati in Biograd and this event is now in its eleventh year. This year it runs from 22nd to 25th October and is well worth a visit if you are in the area. It’s not a huge affair but there’s plenty to see and entertain. And if you do go there, co-author of the Croatia Cruising Companion, John Nash, has a stand there with a small stock of books so be sure to go and say hello. You’ll find him on the Marina Facility Solutions stand.

Readers of our recent posting on Croatia Online, about Biograd’s new hotel IN may be interested to see it in the background of this photo, taken at last year’s show when it was just a building site. Looking back at the other photos of the show, we were reminded that, in construction phase, it was called Hotel Inero. This  explains a little of the new name which, you will see from the posting, is causing some confusion.

For more information on the Biograd Boat Show, link to Marina Kornati - Biograd Boat Show

Sv Filip i Jakov Revisited

When we researched and wrote our Croatia Cruising Companion  (CCC), we did most of our sailing outside the high season, for obvious reasons. It’s not until you see a Croatian destination in and out of the summer season, however, that you get a real flavour for it. Thus, although we have been to Sv Filip i Jakov several times, it’s one of the few places that we had not seen in full summer swing until now.

As we mentioned in the introduction to this destination, on page 39 of the CCC, it’s a “compact, well-cared for settlement with a thriving tourist industry, centred around some large hotels on the outskirts of town”. However that only tells part of the onshore story – in the summer the pine tree fringed fields that we saw behind the long main beach, some of it sandy, become thriving and busy campsites with tents, caravans and mobile homes closely packed into their pitches, about four or five deep. Though that’s a few too many happy campers for our liking, it’s a good spot with plenty of shade and enough beach for everyone.

Amidst all the cafes, bars and restaurants of fairly standard offerings, La Habana, pictured, is a popular nightspot which draws local crowds as well as those from further afield. Cuban themed, the large terrace offers pizza slices, as well as a wide range of cocktails, whilst you sway to the rhythm.

As we state in the CCC, the harbour is only suitable for small craft with depths of up to 2 metres on the inside of the breakwater, up to 4 metres on the outside. So, if you’re in search of some nightlife, and want to escape the family crowd in Biograd, perhaps berth overnight in one of the two marinas in Biograd and take a short taxi ride to Sv Filip i Jakov, along with several other partygoers.

For more information on the village (and some very pleasant folk music) go to the Sv Filip i Jakov Tourist Board site.

For onshore news on nearby Pakoštane, follow this link to Croatia Online’s latest posting.

Agana Marina, Near Trogir – Change Of Ownership

Agana Marina is situated in the quiet and picturesque village of Marina, at the end of the western inlet of Trogirski Zaljev (Trogir Bay). The marina used to be run by the municipality and there was a long history of dispute over ownership resulting in several amusing incidents that were probably far from amusing, at the time, for those involved.

It appears that all has now been resolved and the marina was sold to a private investor last year. Some changes have already been made including a new concrete pier, and there are others in the pipeline.

Pending further progress however, it seems that the marina can only accept Croatia flagged yachts on annual berths, for the time being, though we are told that transit berths for all comers are available.

Ashore, the Croatia Cruising Companion mentions that Marina’s fortress tower is “now a hotel..recently changed hands… and needs to have a little money spent on it.” It looks like some investment has taken place but the jury’s still out on the end result – the  English pages of the hotel website - are still under construction but the menu looks pretty swish and so do the interiors. Not too much else has changed onshore – a draconian parking system was introduced last year but was certainly not in evidence during our visit.

For more information on Yachting Sport Agana, to give  Marina’s marina its proper name, click here.

New Marina Near Trogir, Croatia

One of our first discoveries during our recent trip around the Croatian coastline and islands, was a new marina near Trogir. In fact we have been following progress closely for a few years but were delighted to find that  Baotić Yacht Club Seget is now open for business, albeit to a limited extent until all works are completed.

Licenses and planning permissions take time in Croatia as they do elsewhere but the Marina is taking transit customers (those that want to moor overnight), and bookings for annual berths that will be available from April 2010.

The Baotić organisation already runs marinas in Dugi Otok and Baška Voda and has great plans for their newest marina in Seget just outside Trogir. A few toilets and showers are already available, as are the services of one of the few lifts in Croatia that can cope with catamarans. Indoor boat showroom, after sail club, swimming pool, restaurant, shops, service area, additional showers and toilets, and beauty centre should be available in spring 2010. For more information on this and sister marinas, check out the newly launched website Cromarina (English). For more on what Seget has to offer onshore, see our latest posting on Croatia Online.

***

We took today’s photo of the new marina on the way to Šibenik, from Trogir, along the windy road that leads to the fast inland road to Šibenik. Not far from Šibenik, this road also reveals a gastronomic delight which we’ll be featuring shortly on Croatia Online as sailors will find it difficult to reach. As the photo shows, the new marina is roughly opposite Trogir’s shipyard on the western tip of Čiovo island that’s closest to the mainland. To reach it from the east yachts will need to go around the south side of Čiovo Island, since the bridge that joins Trogir to Čiovo is too low for sailing vessels.

Croatia Junior Optimist Championship

Whilst readers are waiting for us to sort out our notes and photos of our recent summer trip around the mainland and islands (see Croatia Online for a taster), here's a photo of the Croatia Junior Optimist Championship, for children up to 12 years old, which took place from Kaštela Marina. This link will take you direct to a report and photos on the Marina Kaštela site - http://www.marina-kastela.hr/sport.marina-kastela/jkk/optimist_novosti.html. It's in Croatian but if you google it you should get the option for a translation.

Thanks to co-author John Nash of Marina Facility Solutions for telling us about the event and to Jure Vujević for today's photo.

Summer 2009 Highlights And Updates

Croatia Cruising Companion readers will have to wait just a week or so longer for the most up to date information on cruising Croatia.

A few weeks exploring the Dalmatian Coast and Islands have revealed a couple of great new finds and news of things to come. Reassuringly however, many sailors we have bumped into along the way, armed with their Croatia Cruising Companions, have confirmed our experience - the pace of change has been much slower than it was whilst we were writing the book and thus it still remains one of the most up to date and detailed sources of information for sailing Dalmatia and for all travellers wanting to explore some of Dalmatia's more remote islands.

We'll be back to work in a week's time, sharing our latest discoveries with you, and on sister site www.croatiaonline.blogspot.com.

Today's photo shows an expectant harbour master in Vrboska, Hvar, waiting for his next customer.